Camping opportunities near Southaven, Mississippi extend beyond traditional RV parks to include waterfront sites along Arkabutla Lake and forested state parks within a 30-minute drive. The region sits at approximately 300 feet above sea level with a typical southern climate pattern that brings humid summers and mild winters. Fall camping from September through November offers temperatures between 50-75°F with lower humidity than summer months.
What to do
Fishing at Arkabutla Lake: Hernando Point Campground provides direct lake access with paved sites and water/electric hookups. "Very reasonably priced included water and electric," notes one visitor who appreciated the waterfront setting.
Hiking forest trails: Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park offers several hiking trails through dense woodland about 25 minutes from Southaven. "The campground itself is tucked away deep into the Meeman Shelby State Forest and offers a pleasant amount solitude even though the sites are fairly close together," reports one camper who enjoyed the forest setting.
Visit cultural sites: While camping near Southaven, the Chucalissa Museum at T.O. Fuller State Park provides Native American history exhibits. "There are several hiking trails, a swimming pool (in season), and a native American history Museum (Chulissa) that is very popular," explains a visitor who received "reduced swim passes and the kids enjoyed the pool area."
What campers like
Mississippi River views: Tom Sawyer's RV Park in West Memphis offers unique riverfront camping with tugboat views. "The sites are right on the river bank, beautiful. Sunrise over the river was perfect. Watching the tug boats moving up and down the river all day and night was relaxing," shares one camper who enjoyed the river experience.
Convenient shopping access: Campers at EZ Daze RV Park appreciate the proximity to retail options. "Quiet location close to gas station and stores. Excellent WiFi and verizon reception," comments one visitor who stayed at this Southaven campground with concrete pads.
Clean facilities: Many campers highlight the well-maintained bathrooms at campgrounds in the region. At Dub Patton Campground, a visitor noted: "We stayed 2 nights in December. Needless to say no crowds but the showers and bathrooms were spotless and warm. Easy back in spot with water and electric. Dump station on the way out."
What you should know
Airport noise consideration: At Southaven RV Park, one camper warns: "Incoming flights to Memphis start flying overhead at 4:15 am. They take a direct path over top of this park. They haven't stopped flying in every few minutes or so since then."
Mosquito preparation: The wooded areas near Southaven can have significant insect activity. A Meeman-Shelby Forest visitor advises: "Unless you are in love with mosquitos you may want to stay away from here in the summer. I'm from the south so mosquitos are pretty much the norm for summer, so they didn't deter us."
Tent camping limitations: Many RV parks near Southaven restrict tent camping. At Southaven RV Park, a ranger discovered: "I arrived and the staff was very friendly however they were also very thorough in stating it was RVs only... the person giving me the tour, the campground host, did mention that a lot of people misunderstand their RV policy and come in with pop ups or teardrops and those usually are not acceptable."
Tips for camping with families
Water recreation options: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Horn Lake offers family-focused amenities. "We were too early in the season for the blow-up slides but we definitely plan on coming back to enjoy those. They have pedal bikes you can rent (must have closed toed shoes), tetherball, a pavilion, a pond where you can feed the fish," reports a family that enjoyed the facilities.
Budget-friendly swimming: State parks near Southaven often include swimming facilities at reasonable prices. A T.O. Fuller State Park visitor mentioned receiving "reduced swim passes and the kids enjoyed the pool area."
Playgrounds and activities: Multiple campgrounds feature playground equipment for children. A first-time camper at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park noted: "Areas are very clean kid friendly playgrounds. Each space was far enough but not but also in proximity to each other for those who afraid to camp out somewhere totally alone."
Tips from RVers
Level sites with hookups: Many campgrounds near Southaven offer concrete pads with full hookups. At EZ Daze RV Park, an RVer noted: "Level, nice concrete pads. Good hookups. Workers all very pleasant. Didnt get to use the pool or other amenities but they looked nice."
Free laundry facilities: Tom Sawyer's RV Park provides complimentary laundry, unusual among campgrounds in the area. "Nice size spaces with square table and benches, concrete pad, grass area view of the River (#91), across from bathhouse and laundry on the end of the row. Very accommodating manager made this stop a breeze!"
Power considerations: Some RVers report electrical issues at certain sites. At EZ Daze RV Park, one camper experienced: "We received a problem with our Powerdog 50 EPO Surge protector getting an E1 and E2 code error from the pedastals. The errors state that if the power is above 132 or below 104 on line 1 (E1) or line 2 (E2) it will shut off park power."
